Today's post is going to be long. Band has started and the sec 4s are going to step down really soon. Sheryan came back yesterday to return the baritone saxophone mouthpiece. Well, things have really changed. Sheryan coming back remind me of the old times, the good old times. Though I really miss the old times, I guess times will have to change, and perhaps for the better. The band has gone through a lot, from concerts to NBC to SYF. We've really progressed a lot as a band.

Now things will have to change, I won't get used to it. Although there isn't any sec 4 playing the same part as me, I will still feel the sense of missing somebody. There would be someone there missing in my life. Liwei, although you may not be with us physically during band practices from next week onwards, you'll always be there with us, mentally. We'll miss you a lot!

But I guess things will have to go on, we will do our best in whatever we do and not let you or the band down in any aspect. We will strive hard to achieve the best and make the best out of all our band practices. As we all know, slacking isn't right, and does no good to our band health, we all need to practice in order to acquire a higher level of playing skills, and also to be able to learn faster. With the ability to pick up things faster, many skills would be mastered at a greater speed and there would be not much of a need to be frustrated over little things.

Well, even though I may be the best player in the section, doesn't mean I'm the best, I know. I mustn't be complacent or arrogant. I'm working on it. I know that there are so many other players out there, being the same age, with so much better playing skills. I will help the section improve as well as myself. The sec 1s are equally important at this time; they really need to work out on their basics, and maybe their intermediate. Mavis and I will do our best to achieve whatever deems necessary for the sec 1s to be able to have an easier life at the end. As we all know, basics are the most important. Without our fundamentals, nothing is achievable.

I would love to end with a quote from what Sheryan wrote in the note from the to the stars concert, "bring out the crescent spirit, and play with all your heart." Well, although there may be a lot of pressure to deal with, we must make the best out of it, playing the pieces with all our heart and soul, and feel it. We will continue to bring out the crescent spirit in everything we do, and not let CGSSB down! :D

Okay, recap of Thursday and Friday.

Thursday, was a killer day. We received all our results. I did really horribly, truthfully. And I still don't know what went wrong. I really studied hard, although not as hard as common test. Well, at least I could have passed 4 out of 8. But this time, I failed 6 and passed only 2. I ask myself, why do so many other people do so much better than me, even though they don't really study much? Could it be because they have external tuitions? I also have tuition what? Maybe it's because I don't really pay much attention during tuition? I really ought to work harder during tuition and not take such things for granted. From now on, I promise to be serious during tuition and not let my mind wonder somewhere else during any point of tuition. I will clarify all my doubts and not be afraid to ask anything, even though I may sound stupid. Well, now I know I am truly stupid, I know. Don't try to comfort me or anything, it'll just make me feel worst. I also promise to study smarter, and with more focus and concentration during those study sessions. I will only listen to music and study when necessary and not sing along. I also promise to do my best to pay attention during lessons and only sleep when it's really necessary or when I already understand fully the concepts of that lesson. I will also minimize my usage of the tablet pc as it may get me distracted during lessons. I will only use it when it's really necessary and not for the wrong reason. With all these measures taken, I'm sure my grades will improve tremendously if I keep to them.

Well, band on Thursday was alright. We went through Yorkshire ballad. I could play almost everything now. Just need to work a bit more on my running notes and articulation. Other than that, it's pretty much alright. I really hate my tone now, it's getting too bright, much too bring for my taste. I ought to change reed soon, maybe a 4 would darken my tone, or even vandoren. But then again, a bright tone is also good, depending on the songs we will be playing. For noah's ark, it would be great for those bright times. It would also be easier to play running notes. But for Yorkshire ballad, I can't really play the soft parts well. Sec 4s didn't announce committee today. I guess it's going to be on Monday. They told us to meet at 3 o'clock at the band room. Xiangyi and Kelley have spa, so they can't come. Poor things, I hope they postpone it to the end of the day or something like that.

Anyway, phantom of the opera was really great, every aspect, the lighting, the music, and the acting. I was in awe of the cast, they were really great. I really wonder how they managed to sing their best out there in front of a huge audience. I would be freaking out before the performance. Well I guess that's one thing I have to pick up. I must have courage to play out during a performance despite the huge audience. Talking about band again leads me to thinking about how my section would survive without a efficient tenor saxophonist. Okay, for main band, the section has 5 altos and no tenor after liwei steps down. Well, for the rest who are not in main band, we have two tenors and one alto. So total when they all come to main band, we'll have 2 tenors and 6 altos. A good balance, but for now, it's horrible. Mr chua wants someone to move down to tenor, well, no one seems perfect for the job. After much consideration of things, I think that if I can play both the alto and tenor, I don't mind going down. After all, it's for the best of the band. Without a tenor, the band won't be able to survive very well, and with so many altos, the balance wouldn't be there. So what if I can play the alto very well? There's no one to support the altos right? I guess the thought of me moving down would be the best after all. I am seriously not trying to be complacent of anything, but I feel that giving up alto for tenor would be the best for the band. Okay, back to the phantom. I really feel that the props and the costumes are really well done. A really good job done, they were perfect and depicted to the audience the different tones used. The lightings were also great. Especially when there were bright lights shining over and over, they really brought out the whole scene.

Okay, then Friday, yesterday. It was pretty much alright. We had lessons and many free periods, spend these times looking through pictures, memories with Xiangyi and Rachael. Got a lot of these pictures now, I also realised one thing. How much I've matured over these years in secondary school. I have really come really far out as a person. From a young and immature sec one to a full fledged sec3, well, I wouldn't exactly say full-fledged but still I've really grown a lot. This brings me back to primary school where I was truthfully really very naive. Truthfully, I was really afraid of my Chinese teacher. I don't know where the influence came in, maybe it was because I did very badly in Chinese. And I when I said badly, I mean really badly, in fact, I was the only one who took higher mother tongue and failed in during PSLE. It's pretty stupid, I have a "un-graded" on my certificate now. And it looks really bad, I really shouldn't have taken higher mother tongue anyway, it was useless and to think I struggled so much with it. I guess there's really a plan for everything we do in our lives. Chinese is part of it, I guess god wanted for me to build a stronger foundation during the primary school years of my life. Well, god really has his plans and I'm really looking forward to getting to know them. We had chem practical, titration again, well, I managed to get 3 consistent readings, so it's pretty alright. After that was lunch then, Physics spa briefing. SPA's on monday, it's so soon, I'm not really prepared for it. But I guess life has to go on, and I need to be prepared for it, I guess this means revising. I leave that to tonight or tomorrow. After that, went home with xy and kelley. We had a really good talk, and now I figured out I can't do much about anything. I will just accept anything that comes. God has his plans for me, if he doesn't want me to do something, I won't force it. Anyway, God's plans are much more purposeful. I'll submit to all his plans, and not defy them. He was the one who gave me life. I guess my failure now, is also part of it, I guess god uses this to get me up on my feet once again like he did last year. I will really work harder, and strive for the best. I promise.

Okay, for today, I have nothing planned. It's going to be like last saturday again. BORING! But I guess it's a good time to catch up on sleep and do those things I never had time for. :D

YYYYY